04 Jul 2021 20:11:18
There has been a bit of talk on here regarding England and if people support them or not. Everyone's entitled to their opinion and I know there are some that won't support England because of the government and the impact it had on Liverpool in the 80s. Or the stereotype of us all being beer swilling racists who support the BNP that they don't want to associate with.

But for me supporting England is about standing with other english fans for 90 mins all wanting the same outcome. We live in a world that has many things that like to divide us, politics, race, religion, genders and sexuality as examples. And there is something quite brilliant to see the majority in the country on the same page. Even if it is just temporary.

Plus the fact we have all been through the ringer this year, having something that can bring the nation together whether your a londoner, scouse, geordie or wherever you are in the country can only be a bonus.

So let's get behind the lads, even those that dare play for other teams! And maybe, just maybe we can all celebrate England winning a major tournament and football finally coming home.

1.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 20:29:11
I’ve been thinking along similar lines WYred.
A significant part of England’s squad are black or mixed race.
The fans are much more inclusive of contemporary England too than in the bad old days of violence and xenophobia.
And how can you not like young players like Bellingham or Mount or Foden?
I like Sancho as well, I’d happily pay money to go and watch them whosever shirt they were dressed in.
I think it would a hugely positive thing for the country if England were to win the competition.

2.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 20:53:19
Stopped watching England play after that 1-1 draw with the US at the 2010 World Cup as was sick of the abject failure that I'd seen for many many years even though we had a decent batch of players. I guess a lot of football fans may feel the same. I don't miss watching them at all. I'm happy to say I haven't seen a single game from this tournament as yet.

{Ed025's Note - then you have missed out johnny, there have been some very good games mate and for me its been a good tournament, to not watch a team over a game that happened over 20 years ago seems a little bit pathetic if you dont mind me saying so..

3.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 21:32:44
I have enjoyed some of the games as well. The back to back 3-3's were quality entertainment.

4.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 22:48:44
Is there a stereotype around racist Liverpool fans? Must have missed that. I've been away to a few London games, Newcastle, Villa, a couple more, and sadly it shows its head a bit. I was in the ground the day John Barnes made his debut and sadly there were a few monkey chants. DIdn't last long though.
I also was proud of the footage of fascist demonstrators being police escorted out of the city centre after the people of Liverpool wouldn't put up with that crap.
I've had my say on my apathy toward the national team, but can we wrap this up now?

{Ed0666's Note - why wrap it up burky? It’s a relevant, topical debate that surely needs to happen especially now. I was born in England of immigrant parents and I’ve suffered occasional abuse at the hands of racists both in football grounds. But then again everyone’s a hardman when you’re in a 50+ mob. For me the ‘England supporting beer swilling skinheads’ with the St. George’s Cross flag and the Union Jack wrapped around them are synonymous of this abuse and I don’t have any problems saying I’m ambivalent towards England’s results in soccer and rugby tournaments. Conversely I want England to win in all other sports as you typically don’t get adolf hitler idolizing knuckledraggers as fans in those sports. The case in point is Raheem Sterling and the abuse he takes for being black and English. He’s said it leaves a bad taste in his mouth knowing that some of the pricks that cheer him are racially abusing him aswell.

5.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 22:53:09
I'm really enjoying the tournament myself lad's. Would be a 1000 times better with the Irish in it but I don't think that's going to happen for a good while.

{Ed0666's Note - there’s more chance of mother Theresa refereeing the World Cup final than the Irish qualifying for a tournament bazza 😂

6.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 22:54:51
I don't care what colour/ creed the players are, I am English, I will support England when we play and whatever club the players play for during a season is irrelevent. I jumped up just as much for Maguires goal as I did Hendersons. Put them in club shirts and its a whole new ball game, but this is beyond local/ team rivalry, it is about us showing why our country produces the best players, be they LFC, Leeds, Spurs whatever. Come day 1 of Prem season that goes out the window, but let's just enjoy the fact for the first time in 55 years our nation has a chance of winning something.

7.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 23:27:30
I also remember the abuse that John Barnes used to get from England “supporters” in the 80’s and 90’s, imagine throwing bananas, booing and making monkey calls against someone playing for your team. Those sort of idiots still make up sizeable amount who watch England, I’ve no desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with those racist ****s.

{Ed0666's Note - what he said

8.) 04 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 23:32:49
I'm close to not reading this page anymore because of tripe being said by jonny (jenny) and others about England. Get a grip and if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything and get a life!

{Ed0666's Note - it’s people prerogatives to post what they like if it’s within boundaries and it’s you’re prerogative to step away.

9.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 00:09:56
Cheers Ed0666 kick us while we're down why don't you.

{Ed0666's Note - Down?? What’s the one after down? 😂

10.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 05:49:34
Ed0666, my query was around the Liverpool stereotype of racist supporters. I've now reread the post and can see the poster is talking about the supporters of the national team as being drunk racists. I can't disagree with that. I think they're often a bunch of drunk idiotic racists. But of course, as I don't attend England games I'm only seeing what makes the newsreel, I'm sure plenty are just fine.
My point about moving on is that we seem to have covered this topic a lot lately and I don't know what more there is to be said.

{Ed0666's Note - mate we seem to cover a lot of subjects repeatedly that’s just what we do on this site 😂

11.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 05:59:51
Speaking of repeatedly covering the same subject, I’m still waiting for a review of the Liverpool v Southampton game.

12.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 06:05:54
I have to admit that I’ve not been to a live England game for many a year.
In fact, one of the last ones was at Anfield and the atmosphere was really good, apart from having that bloody band sat a couple of rows behind me playing the same old tunes.
I also remember going to Sunderland to watch a Euro qualifier against Turkey, just after the Leeds fans had been stabbed in Istanbul a few years ago.
The atmosphere was terrible, and the ground seemed to 70% full of Burberry-wearing hooligans.
I was basing my above comments on today’s England fans just off watching the television, but perhaps the cameras make a point about picking out black and Asian supporters in the crowd?
It seems better than it was but I accept that we’re starting from a very low baseline to say the least.

13.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 06:23:00
I will never understand abuse because strip us all back and we are all just a bag of bones.

But each fan base has its fair share of idiots, we've had ones that none of us would associate with (man city's bus as an example) and in no way should supporting England automatically put you in the bracket of being a racist knucklehead.

The ironic thing is they will all lose their minds when sterling scores but he does something wrong and out pops the abuse!

14.) 05 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 21:15:23
Agreed Ed025. By the end of the season I'd fallen out of love with football, the lack of fans, VAR (in tandem with the standard of refereeing) and obviously some of the results for our boys just really turned football in to more of a chore. The Euros though has been ace, lot's of entertaining games, high standard of refereeing and good use of VAR at least in the games I've watched. Really reignited my passion for football again and now looking forward to the PL season kicking off again.

{Ed025's Note - yeah dan same for me mate..

15.) 05 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 21:30:15
Agreed 25, whether you support England or not, you can't deny there has been some cracking football games recently, and some crap pens too!

{Ed025's Note - plus being able to go the pub to watch it has helped stuie, i think its been great mate..

16.) 05 Jul 2021
04 Jul 2021 23:09:51
ED025 I feel a similar way to Johnny but it's not about holding them to account or anything, it's just a simple falling out of interest with the format. Personally I feel like they are all friendlies to an extent - you catch a good one occasionally but most just feel like watching Burnley vs Stoke to me, can't feel anticipation for them or passionate about the result. But each to their own and good luck to anyone finding their joy.

{Ed025's Note - i certainly feel that way about friendlies and most qualifying games hjikle, but this tournament has been good imo mate..

17.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 06:47:01
I wasn't going to watch this tournament, as the last few international tournaments have been rather boring, even the last World Cup when England got to the semi finals, it was still boring.

This one is certainly quite entertaining and I believe I've watched every single game, or at least had it on in the background while doing other things.

{Ed025's Note - there have been some very entertaining games hsf, and the day of the two 3-3 draws was brilliant entertainment mate..

18.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 09:42:52
Id be more than happy for England to win the tournament. Especially if Hendo scores the winning goal. And Kane misses a penalty. And Sterling falls over again. And Pickford gets cleaned up.

19.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 10:11:32
Surely the answer to the problem of a vocal minority of England fans being knuckledraggers is not to walk away from football complaining about them, but to support the country and the players in spite of them. I’ve not been to the pub once, but I’ve not heard a single instance of racism so far. Are these not just bad excuses for not supporting your country, the vast, vast majority of which is not racist, bigoted etc?

People make a stand because they’re tired of disappointment and when things aren’t actually going badly, any reason for not looking like a fool for boohooing will do. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

20.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 09:43:10
Thanks Ed025 for the pathetic label. I used to attend quite a few England games as it happens but I don't see anything 'pathetic' about simply becoming disillusioned with the constant cycle of hype and then disappointment around our international team. Since stopping watching I've simply lost interest completely in international football and don't plan to start again just because we've had a couple of good games recently.

{Ed025's Note - sorry johnny but all im trying to say is that things change over time, we had a girl at our school when i was younger and shall we say was less than pretty, i met her at a school reunion years later and she was an absolute stunner, things can develop mate thats all im saying and maybe just maybe you might just enjoy watching the national team again my friend..

21.) 05 Jul 2021
05 Jul 2021 13:06:53
Love it Thunderbird. That made me chuckle.